Assistance systems for PowerFeeders

The picture shows a VÖGELE PowerFeeder with assistance systems at work.

Easy transfer of material with automated functions

With the assistance systems Feed Assist, PaveDock Assistant and automated distance control, VÖGELE assists and eases the workload of users when using a Dash 5 generation PowerFeeder for transferring material to a paver.

Feed Assist from VÖGELE

With Feed Assist, operators can save and later retrieve settings for material conveying procedures. The PowerFeeder can then be easily brought into transport, repositioning or working mode at the press of a button.

Retrieving saved procedures

Feed Assist already offers preset programmes for low, medium and high material conveying rates. There is also a preinstalled programme for transferring material as a part of an InLine Pave paving train. These programs accordingly cover a wide range of material feeding situations. Custom paving procedures can also be saved and stored as datasets at the press of a button. These include parameters such as the performance of the conveying systems, conveyor belt heating and the offset from the paver. These settings can be retrieved quite simply at any later point in time.

Moving between construction sites with a PowerFeeder

Feed Assist also assists users with the transport, repositioning, and working modes of a PowerFeeder. For this, the PowerFeeder must be switched to ‘Repositioning’ mode. After pressing the ‘Execute’ button, the receiving hopper, the deflector plates and the slewing conveyor mounting (on the Offset model) are set to ‘Transport’ mode Doing this quickly readies the PowerFeeder for safe transportation between different sections of a construction site.

The advantages of Feed Assist:

  • Safe, reliable and easy repositioning of the PowerFeeder
  • Material feeder is soon ready to go again
  • Machine can be put in transport, repositioning or operating position at the touch of a button
  • Predefined conveying programs facilitate the material feed process
  • Individual material conveying procedures can be set up, saved and retrieved at any time
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PaveDock Assistant

Clear and simple communication between PowerFeeder operators and HGV drivers

The simple and unambiguous symbols of the PaveDock Assistant make loading the asphalt mix easier and eliminate the need for acoustic or manual signals. The key elements of the communication system are the signal lights mounted on the right and left of the PowerFeeder’s hardtop and the corresponding controls on its ErgoPlus 5 operator’s console. The PowerFeeder operator can use the two signal lights to clearly indicate whether the HGV driver should dock with the PowerFeeder or stop.

Green for ‘proceed and dock HGV’
Red for ‘Stop HGV’
Material feeding as a part of an InLine Pave paving train

If the PowerFeeder is used in a VÖGELE InLine Pave train, the signal lights can also be used to indicate whether binder course or surface course material is required. With IP mode activated, a symbol in red is displayed for surface course material or in green for binder course material - depending on the distance selected. This enables reliable, loss-free and efficient transfer of the mix material.

The advantages of the PaveDock Assistant:

  • Clear communication between HGV drivers and PowerFeeder operators
  • Safe, reliable and efficient transfer of material without losses
  • Operating concept and symbols same as on Dash 5 road pavers
  • Integration of Inline Pave signal lights for binder and surface course mixes
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Automated distance control

Decoupling the material feeding and paving processes prevents any jolts from the material supply HGV from being transmitted to the paver. Thanks to the laser-sensor controlled distance control system of the VÖGELE PowerFeeder, the paver and the PowerFeeder consistently maintain the right distance from one another.

Three separate laser sensors constantly measure the distance between the two machines and enable the regulation system to automatically match the speed of the PowerFeeder to that of the paver. The system also automatically prevents collisions between the paver and the PowerFeeder. If the PowerFeeder has to stop unexpectedly, the paver is also automatically stopped as soon as the distance between the two machines is less than the pre-set minimum value.

A VÖGELE PowerFeeder working with laser-sensor controlled distance control.

The advantages of automated distance control

  • Precise measuring system with three separate laser sensors
  • Automatic control of the distance between the PowerFeeder and the paver
  • Automatic matching of the speed of the PowerFeeder to the speed of the paver
  • Contact-free transfer of mix material enables high paving quality
  • More automation means less work for the operator
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More PowerFeeder technologies

ErgoPlus 5

The user-friendly operating concept for simple, ergonomic and reliable control of a PowerFeeder.

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Material conveying concept

The innovative material conveying concept guarantees a constant and contact-free supply of mix.

Learn more